In the cruise season of 2023, the Port of HaminaKotka was a port of call for both cruise ships that made their inaugural call and ones that have visited the port earlier.
The international cruise season of the Port of HaminaKotka in the past summer was successful. A total of 13 ships called at the port, 2 of which anchored in the Eastern Gulf of Finland by the remote island of Ulko-Tammio. The total number of visitors was approx. 20,000. The passengers came mainly from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, British Isles and Germany. The feedback received directly from the guests and from the cruise lines was good, and the calculated economical impact for the region
was approx. 4 million euros.
“The absolute highlights of the season were the visits by Silver Wind, the luxury cruiser of Silversea Expedition Cruises, at the island of Ulko-Tammio in early June. The visitors spent a day on the island, getting to know its beautiful natural environment and interesting fortification history. These visits also attracted considerable international attention,” says Petra Cranston, Project Manager, Cruise Business, of Port of HaminaKotka Ltd.
The cruise guests were particularly delighted by the parks of Kotka, where nature meets an urban setting in a unique manner. The Valkmusa National Park and the Langinkoski Imperial Fishing Lodge are also of great interest among the cruise visitors. The River Kymijoki with its diverse activities provides the visitors unforgettable experiences, and the towns of Kotka and Hamina enchant travellers with their versatility and individual ambience, not forgetting Maritime Centre Vellamo or the magnificent archipelago.
Even though the main destination of Baltic Sea cruises, St Petersburg, is no longer on the itinerary, the degree of occupancy rate on the vessels cruising on the Baltic Sea has grown to an average of almost 90 per cent this year. In 2022, the biggest cruise ships withdrew from the Baltic Sea to other markets, but they aim to return. This is also influenced by the political situation in other parts of the world. The active sales and marketing efforts by the port company are yielding results, and cruise lines have found the Port of HaminaKotka and the attractions in the region, but it takes time for the purchasing patterns of consumers to change. Expert estimates suggest that a better outlook in the Eastern Baltic cruise market segment can be expected from 2026 onwards, and the port company is already working with a time span of almost 10 years ahead.
“In the future, there will be an increase in new types of cruises utilising the archipelago, like the ones last summer to Ulko-Tammio. In this case, a cruise ship can offer visits both at a seaport and an island in the outer archipelago, hence giving the visitors an opportunity to whole new experiences. The year 2024 seems to be about the same as 2023. The focus will be on Kantasatama,” Petra Cranston says.
(Photos: Jarno Koivula)
